Resistor and design structure having resistor material length with sub-lithographic width

ABSTRACT

A resistor and design structure including at least one resistor material length in a dielectric, each of the least one resistor material length having a sub-lithographic width are disclosed.

This application is related to a co-pending patent application, U.S. Ser. No. 12/046,643, filed 12 Mar. 2008.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) chips, and more particularly, to resistors for IC chips.

2. Background Art

In the integrated circuit (IC) chip fabrication industry, high resistivity value resistors are required. Typically, these resistors are formed by providing a thin layer of resistor material that is dimensioned to a particular length and width for a fixed thickness, which provides a known resistive value. FIG. 1A shows a top view and FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of an illustrative resistor 10 having a length defined by a number of lengths L1 and a number of lengths L2 and a width W. Contacts 12 electrically couple resistor 10 to other circuitry (not shown). In order to provide the high resistive values, one approach enlarges (e.g., lengthens) the resistor. That is, the larger the number of squares (i.e., length/width) of the resistor, the higher the resistivity. Unfortunately, enlarging the size of any structure in an IC chip presents a barrier to further miniaturization of IC chips. Resistor 10 has an approximate resistive value defined in squares as (6L1+5L2)/W1, with a total resistance of (6L1+5L2)/W1*Rs, where Rs is the sheet resistance of the resistive material layer and L1 and L2 are much greater than W1.

Another conventional approach to attaining higher resistivity values is to change the material to a more resistive material. Unfortunately, currently used more resistive materials may change from metallic resistive property to more like a ceramic, semi-conductive property as the dimensions of the material go below current lithographic standards (e.g., approximately 50 nanometers). Use of sub-lithographic structures is required for continued scaling to new technology nodes. Hence, continued use of current materials, while attaining higher resistivity values is desirable.

SUMMARY

A resistor and design structure including at least one resistor material length in a dielectric, each of the least one resistor material length having a sub-lithographic width are disclosed.

A first aspect of the disclosure provides a resistor comprising: at least one resistor material length in a dielectric, each of the least one resistor material length having a sub-lithographic width.

A second aspect of the disclosure provides a design structure embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit, the design structure comprising: at least one resistor material length in a dielectric, each of the least one resistor material length having a sub-lithographic width.

The illustrative aspects of the present disclosure are designed to solve the problems herein described and/or other problems not discussed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of this disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the disclosure, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1B show a conventional resistor.

FIGS. 2A and 2D show embodiments of a resistor according to the disclosure, with FIGS. 2B-2C showing intermediate processing stages.

FIGS. 3A-B show another embodiment of a resistor according to the disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of a design process used in semiconductor design, manufacture, and/or test.

It is noted that the drawings of the disclosure are not to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 2A and 2D show embodiments of a resistor 100 according to the disclosure. FIG. 2A shows a top view across a top of resistor 100 (without spacers 130 (FIGS. 2C-D)), FIGS. 2B-C show cross-sectional views of processing of resistor 100 along line BB in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2D shows a cross-sectional view of resistor 100 along line BB in FIG. 2A. Resistor 100 includes a pair of substantially parallel resistor material lengths 102 separated by a dielectric 132. Each resistor material length 102 may have a sub-lithographic dimension, e.g., width Wsp is less than current lithographic standards (approximately 50 nanometers, i.e., W1). Pair of substantially parallel resistor material lengths 102 may have a serpentine layout; however, they may also be laid out in any now known or later developed manner. Resistor 100 may also include a first contact 110 coupled to a first end 112 of each resistor material length 102, and a second contact 114 coupled to a second end 116 of each of resistor material length 102.

Referring to FIGS. 2B-2D, resistor 100 may be formed by providing a substrate 120 (which may include any prior levels known to those with skill in the art). Resistor material 122 is then deposited, resulting in resistor material 122 having a thickness T1. Resistor material 122 may include, but is not limited to: tantalum nitride (TaN_(x)), aluminum nitride (AlN_(x)), gallium nitride (GaN_(x)), etc. Dielectric layer 124 of thickness H1 is then deposited. Dielectric layer 124 may include but is not limited to: silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), silicon oxide (SiO₂), fluorinated SiO₂ (FSG), hydrogenated silicon oxycarbide (SiCOH), porous SiCOH, boro-phosho-silicate glass (BPSG), silsesquioxanes, carbon (C) doped oxides (i.e., organosilicates) that include atoms of silicon (Si), carbon (C), oxygen (O), and/or hydrogen (H), thermosetting polyarylene ethers, SiLK (a polyarylene ether available from Dow Chemical Corporation), JSR (a spin-on silicon-carbon contained polymer material available form JSR Corporation), other low dielectric constant (<3.9) material, or layers thereof. “Depositing” may include any now known or later developed techniques appropriate for the material to be deposited including but are not limited to, for example: chemical vapor deposition (CVD), low-pressure CVD (LPCVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), semi-atmosphere CVD (SACVD) and high density plasma CVD (HDPCVD), rapid thermal CVD (RTCVD), ultra-high vacuum CVD (UHVCVD), limited reaction processing CVD (LRPCVD), metalorganic CVD (MOCVD), sputtering deposition, ion beam deposition, electron beam deposition, laser assisted deposition, thermal oxidation, thermal nitridation, spin-on methods, physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical oxidation, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), plating, evaporation.

As shown in FIG. 2B, a trench 126 exposing resistor material 122 of thickness T1 is then formed in dielectric layer 124 of thickness H1 using any now known or later developed techniques, e.g., depositing, patterning and etching a photoresist (not shown), and then etching dielectric layer 124. FIG. 2B also shows depositing a spacer material 128 (e.g., silicon nitride (Si₃N₄)) having a thickness St in trench 126. Spacer material 128 may be planarized, e.g., via chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).

As shown in FIG. 2C, a reactive ion etch (RIE) is performed forming spacers 130 on a sidewall of trench 126 in dielectric 124. Spacers 130 have a sub-lithographic dimension. Next, an isotropic etch (e.g. wet) (not shown) is performed that removes dielectric 124 over resistor material 122, leaving spacers 130. Next, resistor material 122 (FIG. 2B) is etched using spacers 130 as a mask, forming resistor material lengths 102. Resistor material lengths 102 thus have the same sub-lithographic width Wsp which is equal to the deposited thickness Tsp of the spacer material 128 (FIG. 2B) and a height T1. In a subsequent process, the entire structure is encased in dielectric material 132 in FIG. 2D providing electrical isolation. It is noted that as an option, an etch stop layer could be added between resistor material 122 and dielectric 124 as described relative to FIG. 2B.

In an alternative embodiment, another mask (not shown) may be employed and one of resistor material lengths 102 may be removed, as shown in FIGS. 3A-B, resulting in a resistor 200 including only a single resistor material length 202. Hence, a resistor according to the disclosure may include at least one resistor material length (FIGS. 3A-B) in a dielectric 132 with each resistor material length having a sub-lithographic width Wsp. FIG. 3A shows a top view and FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view along line BB in FIG. 3A.

Once resistor material lengths 102, 202 are formed, another dielectric layer 132 is then deposited, filling the space between (or adjacent to if only one) resistor material lengths 102. Hence, spacer(s) 130 remain over resistor material length(s) 102. In one embodiment, dielectric layer 132 may include similar material as those listed for dielectric layer 124. In another embodiment, dielectric 124 and 132 may be different materials. Conventional processing to form contacts 110, 114 may then be provided.

A resistance value of resistor 100, 200 is defined by the length, the resistor thickness T1 of resistor material 122 (FIG. 2B), and the sublithographic width defined by Wsp equal to spacer thickness Tsp, not width W1. Control of the deposited spacer thickness Tsp is relatively easy compared to controlling the width W1 of trench 106. For the illustrative resistor 100 shown, an approximation of the resistance value in squares is: ½*(6L1+5L2)/Wsp or ½*(6L1+5L2)/Tsp, and a total resistance would be ½*(6L1+5L2)/Tsp)*Rs, where Rs is sheet resistance of resistor material 122 of thickness T1. Resistor 100, 200 has a width Wsp that is less than a minimum photolithographic dimension so that an increase in resistance per unit area can be realized resulting in a resistor with a higher resistance in less area than conventional resistors. As such, length does not have to be increased and other non-conventional resistor material may be avoided. Resistor 100, 200 may be contacted from above and/or below levels.

Resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B) as described above is part of the design for an integrated circuit chip. The chip design is created in a graphical computer programming language, and coded as a set of instructions on machine readable removable or hard media (e.g., residing on a graphical design system (GDS) storage medium). That is, design structure 190 (FIG. 4) (i.e., resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B)) is embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an example design flow 400. Design flow 400 may vary depending on the type of integrated circuit (IC) being designed. For example, a design flow 400 for building an application specific IC (ASIC) will differ from a design flow 400 for designing a standard component. Design structure 190 is an input to a design process 410 and may come from an IP provider, a core developer, or other design company. Design structure 190 comprises resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B) in the form of schematics or a hardware-description language (HDL) (e.g., Verilog, VHDL, C, etc.). For example, design structure 190 may be a text file or a graphical representation of resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B). Design process 410 synthesizes (or translates) resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B) into a netlist 420, where netlist 420 is, for example, a list of interconnects, transistors, logic gates, control circuits, I/O, models, etc. and describes the connections to other elements and circuits in an integrated circuit design and recorded on at least one machine readable medium.

Design process 410 includes using a variety of inputs; for example, inputs from library elements 430 which may house a set of commonly used elements, circuits, and devices, including models, layouts, and symbolic representations, for a given manufacturing technology (e.g., different technology nodes, 32 nm, 45 nm, 40 nm, etc.), design specifications 440, characterization data 450, verification data 460, design rules 470, and test data files 480, which may include test patterns and other testing information. Design process 410 further includes, for example, standard circuit design processes such as timing analysis, verification tools, design rule checkers, place and route tools, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit design can appreciate the extent of possible electronic design automation tools and applications used in design process 410 without deviating from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

Ultimately, design process 410 translates resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B), along with the rest of the integrated circuit design (if applicable), into a final design structure 490 (e.g., information stored in a GDS storage medium). Final design structure 490 may comprise information such as, for example, test data files, design content files, manufacturing data, layout parameters, interconnects, levels of metal, vias, shapes, test data, data for routing through the manufacturing line, and any other data required by a semiconductor manufacturer to produce resistor 100, 200 (FIGS. 2A-D, 3A-B). Final design structure 490 may then proceed to a stage 492 of design flow 400, where stage 492 is, for example, where final design structure 490 proceeds to tape-out, is released to manufacturing, is sent to another design house or is sent back to the customer.

The methods, resistors and design structure as described above are used in the fabrication of integrated circuit chips. The resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributed by the fabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that has multiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In the latter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as a plastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or other higher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramic carrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buried interconnections). In any case the chip is then integrated with other chips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devices as part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or (b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includes integrated circuit chips, ranging from toys and other low-end applications to advanced computer products having a display, a keyboard or other input device, and a central processor.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

1. A resistor comprising: a spacer having a sub-lithographic thickness; at least one resistor material length in a dielectric, each of the at last one resistor material length disposed beneath the spacer and having a sub-lithographic width substantially equal to the sub-lithographic thickness of the spacer; a first contact coupled to a first end of each resistor material length; and a second contact coupled to a second end of each resistor material length.
 2. The resistor of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one resistor material lengths has a thickness greater than a width thereof.
 3. The resistor of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one resistor material lengths has a thickness less than a width thereof.
 4. The resistor of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one resistor material lengths includes a pair of substantially parallel resistor material lengths.
 5. The resistor of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one resistor material lengths has a serpentine layout.
 6. The resistor of claim 1, wherein the spacer substantially consists of an insulating material.
 7. The resistor of claim 1, wherein the spacer is ceramic.
 8. The resistor of claim 1, further comprising an etch stop layer under each of the at least one resistor material lengths. 